Leodicidae

Jaws of Siluropelta lata, from Howell (1962).

Belongs within: Annelida.

The Leodicidae are a group of long-bodied marine polychaete worms, represented in the fossil record by preserved jaw elements dating back to the Ordovician (Howell 1962).

Characters (from Howell 1962): Body long, first two segments without parapodia, later segments with one branch or one and a half branches.

<==Leodicidae H62
    |--Leodice Lamarck 1818 H62
    |--Arabellites Hinde 1879 H62
    |    `--*A. hamatus Hinde 1879 H62
    |--Diopatraites Eller 1938 H62
    |    `--*D. conformis Eller 1938 H62
    |--Eunicites Ehlers 1868 H62
    |    `--*E. avitus Ehlers 1868 H62
    |--Leodicites Eller 1940 H62
    |    `--*L. variedentatus Eller 1940 H62
    |--Marphysaites Eller 1945 H62
    |    `--*M. aptus Eller 1945 H62
    |--Oenonites Hinde 1879 H62
    |    `--*O. curvidens Hinde 1879 H62
    |--Orthopelta Eisenack 1939 H62
    |    `--*O. navis Eisenack 1939 H62
    |--Ottawella Wilson 1948 H62
    |    `--*O. sinclairi Wilson 1948 H62
    |--Palaeosigma Eisenack 1939 H62
    |    `--*P. silurica Eisenack 1939 H62
    |--Paleoenonites Eller 1942 H62
    |    `--*P. accuratus Eller 1942 H62
    |--Pernerites Žebera 1935 H62
    |    `--*P. giganteus Žebera 1935 H62
    |--Pteropelta Eisenack 1939 H62
    |    `--*P. gladiata Eisenack 1939 H62
    `--Siluropelta Eisenack 1939 H62
         `--*S. lata Eisenack 1939 H62

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[H62] Howell, B. F. 1962. Worms. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt W. Miscellanea: Conodonts, Conoidal Shells of Uncertain Affinities, Worms, Trace Fossils and Problematica pp. W144–W177. Geological Society of America, and University of Kansas Press.